Aatu Räty is suddenly available on waivers, and Vancouver Canucks head coach Manny Malhotra could lose the young center for nothing.
The Canucks made the surprising decision Wednesday, exposing one of their recognizable young forwards to every other NHL organization. It's a move that could come back to haunt Vancouver.
According to Thomas Drance of The Athletic, Räty was placed on waivers Wednesday and this is news that's come out just today. Drance later suggested the Finnish center is more likely to be claimed than to clear.
That's a serious warning for Vancouver. Räty isn't an aging depth forward with limited upside. He's a young center who still has room to develop and could interest teams looking for affordable NHL help.
The decision is particularly difficult to understand considering Räty's place in the organization. He arrived from the New York Islanders in the Bo Horvat trade, making him part of a significant chapter in Vancouver's recent roster construction.
Now the Canucks are risking losing that asset without receiving anything in return. A rival organization wouldn't need to surrender a draft pick or negotiate a trade to acquire him.
#Canucks say they “Looked at all options” for Aatu Räty. “At the end of the day, had to make a tough decision.”
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What makes this situation even more interesting is the apparent lack of trade interest before the waiver decision. Vancouver may have explored other options, but no deal materialized before Räty became available.
His future now depends on whether another club believes it can get more out of him. Centers with NHL experience and developmental upside don't always become available without an acquisition cost.
There's also the coaching decision behind this move. Malhotra's staff clearly hasn't established Räty as a regular lineup option, raising questions about where the young forward fits in Vancouver's plans.
For a Canucks organization trying to establish stability, potentially losing another young asset creates an uncomfortable storyline. The front office must now wait to see whether its gamble pays off.
Drance's reaction only adds to the concern. His belief that Räty could be claimed suggests Vancouver shouldn't automatically expect to send him to Abbotsford.
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If Räty clears, the Canucks retain organizational depth and gain flexibility. If another team claims him, Vancouver loses a player once viewed as an important piece of the Horvat return.
The next waiver announcement will settle the immediate question. Until then, the Canucks have handed the rest of the league an opportunity they may regret.
Will the Vancouver Canucks regret placing Aatu Räty on waivers?
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